Editorial Review:Product Description:If it's speed you want, grab the new CAMEDIA E-100 Rapid Shot (RS) camera and hold on tight. Faster than any previous camera in its class, the CAMEDIA E-100 RS provides the ability to shoot at a rapid 15 frames per second (fps), or 7.5 fps, 5 fps, and 3 fps. And whether you're shooting sports, nature or some other activity, the E-100 RS's maximum 15 fps shooting speed greatly enhances your chances of getting the shot you wanted at the precise moment it happens.For further convenience in capturing your desired shots, the CAMEDIA E-100 RS uses a 10x optical zoom lens to provide images in greater detail and a 2.7x digital telephoto lens which extends the camera's range out to over 1,000mm to get even closer. Built-in optical image stabilization technology adds to the image clarity by helping to reduce unwanted camera shake when up-close or when using slower shutter speeds. If that's not enough, the E-100 RS also offers a VGA QuickTime movie mode with sound capture capability, an electronic viewfinder SLR design, and a dual media slot so you can use both SmartMedia and CompactFlash memory cards.
Amazon.com Product Description:With the E-100RS, Olympus does what many other manufacturers refuse to do: produce a quality, innovative camera without a high-resolution CCD. Rather than cramming as many new features as possible into their highest-resolution flagship model and relegating the lower-resolution CCDs to simple point-and-shoot style cameras (as many manufacturers are wont to do), Olympus has started to create unique, capable digital cameras across a spectrum of resolutions--something that helps to keep prices down, while increasing both speed and storage capacity.
At a time when most manufacturers are producing 3-megapixel cameras, there's nothing particularly impressive about the 1.5 megapixel resolution of this Olympus--it's the lens and processor that make the camera special. The E-100RS ('RS' stands for 'Rapid Shot') comes with a 10x optically stabilized lens, and is capable of taking up to 15 shots per second--a speed unheard of in the digital camera realm--courtesy of a 9.5 MB SDRAM buffer and high-speed CCD sensor. Its speed makes it perfect for action photography.
If you've ever waited an instant too long to snap the perfect action photo, you'll appreciate the camera's 'Pre-Capture' feature. In this mode, the E-100RS starts storing photos in its temporary memory as soon as you half-press the shutter button. Once you fully depress the button, the photo you took, along with the most recent photos in the temporary memory, are saved to the memory card. Users can save from one to five 'prepictures' for each photo they shoot. This feature is a boon to those of us with slow reflexes.
For maximum compatibility, the camera can be used with both Smartmedia and CompactFlash cards. CompactFlash Type I and II cards are supported, but Olympus doesn't recommend using the IBM MicroDrive. Camera performance is typically quicker with Smartmedia storage, but CompactFlash cards are available in larger capacities. An 8 MB Smartmedia card is included.
In 35mm terms, the powerful 10x zoom lens is equivalent to a 38-380mm telephoto. The camera's digital zoom, which increases magnification at the expense of image quality, boosts the lens to 1000mm at full zoom. Normally, it would be difficult to take advantage of a lens this powerful without using a tripod. Why? At full zoom, the camera focuses on such a small area that even the most minute movements result in a blurry image. Fortunately, Olympus equips the camera with optical image stabilization, a complex system that senses shakes and wobbles and continuously adjusts the lenses to compensate.
All the flexibility of Olympus's higher-end digital cameras is present in the E-100RS. Aperture and shutter priority modes coexist with landscape, portrait, sports, and night-scene shooting modes. Everything on the camera can be adjusted manually. The EV setting can be adjusted to 2 in 1/3 EV increments; auto bracketing can be adjusted for both EV increments and the total number of shots. ISO can be selected from three options: 100, 200, and 400. The built-in flash features the usual modes: red-eye reduction, auto, fill, and synchro.
For SLR-like framing, the E-100RS uses an electronic viewfinder (EVF) instead of a traditional glass viewfinder. This arrangement has all the benefits of a standard LCD screen (image preview and review, as well as instant access to camera menus), plus increased usability outdoors, while using much less power than the full-sized LCD on the back of the camera. The only disadvantages to the EVF are that it uses more power than a traditional optical viewfinder and that it can be hard to use in low light.
The E-100RS uses four AA batteries, and comes with rechargeable NiMH batteries and charger.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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Need Comments: Pictures of Stars & Moon w/this camera
Someone please comment on the quality of and ability to take pictures of the stars and moon with this camera please/thanks.
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LOVE IT! tons of cool features...
...This is a really great camera to say the least. It was pretty easy for me to figure out how to use it after playing with it for an hour. I love that it can shoot in both color and black & white. It can also take QuickTime movies. It works with both Smart Media and Compact Flash cards. If you have a 128 mb card and use the cam in a the lowest resolution, it can take almost 1,500 photos!! Pictures are high-quality (crisp and detailed). Colors are vibrant and true. Works EXCELLENT in low-light conditions. There are tons of other things and settings to play with and you can even program your favorite settings into it. It has Telephoto, macro mode, and image-stabalization. One feature that I found particularly useful is the tiny remote. Just put the cam on a tripod, (press a button & a red light shows you exactly where to stand), get in position and take your self photos. I absolutly LOVE this camera! FYI, this camera is somewhat heavy, not a big deal if it doesn't bother you. I recomend getting a good sturdy tripod. The camera also comes with very high-quality batteries. None of the rechargables I bought lasted nearly as long, but I would recommend getting at least 2 spare sets of rechargables for when you're "out and about". An ac-adapter would be a good investment if you plan on using the camera for extended periods of time indoors. Oh, it also comes with Adobe Photoshop 5 LE. The other software that comes with the camera is "ok", I didn't really need it since my preffered method of downloading photos is with a card reader.
Hope this helps!
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Fast, fun, & easy to run
The E-100RS is a great package. I've owned dozens of cameras, but this, without a doubt, is the most fun. A 10X optical, and 27X digital (the best digital resolution I've seen so far) let you reach out and grab things, even if they're a mile or more away. The rapid fire capability is great for getting just the right shot... take the best and dump the rest, but you won't miss that perfect pose or facial expression because you snapped at the wrong split second. The 640x480 movies look almost as good as my Sony Hi8 camcoder video and full screen, none of this postage stamp sized movie. I sold a 3.3 megapixel to buy this as in over 2600 photos with it, I never utilized more than 1280x960. This camera does a nice 1368X1024 which is more than I need. I have printed dozens of 8X10 enlargements from 1280x960 photos and they look fantastic. This camera is probably not for the technologically phobic types. It only took me a couple days to fully understand how to run, but I'm a network engineer by trade and play with electronics all day. The menu could be a little more intuitive, but it's not bad. Many features that you use most often have external buttons so you don't need to go into the menu system. The electronic viewfinder is wonderful, giving you all the info that the full LCD screen would through the eyepiece at a fraction of the power consumption. Plan on buying an AC adapter, Extra NiMH batteries (probably 2 more sets as they give you one set of 1600Mah and a nice charger with it), a 49mm Haze filter to protect the lens, and a 128 meg Smartmedia or compact flash (or both for a total 256MB like I did!). No regrets so far from selling my Sony 3.3MP... and I am having a ball with this camera. Can't wait to take it to some motorcycle races or other sporting events where it'll really shine! And one last piece of info: I had to call Olympus tech support for a few questions on memory cards and external flash cord and their customer service was OUTSTANDING! Got a live, knowledgable technician in under 2 minutes and he answered my questions instantly without typing a query into a database... he really knew the product. I'm impressed! Great product and service... hard to find there days!
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Good camera to grow up with
I bought this camera, my first, after a lot of research and I am very happy with the purchase. It is a versatile camera with a lot of features (check out the product specs), but beginners can take great pictures in the automatic mode even while learning to use the advanced features. The resolution is more than enough for viewing images on a computer. Haven't tried printing yet.
Works great with Mac OS X and iPhoto without any external drivers. Just hook up the camera to the USB port and iPhoto starts up by itself. The software provided with camera - Adobe PhotoShop LE, Camedia Master and Genuine Fractals - are Mac 9.x versions.
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E-100RS - What a bargain !
I have used a Kodak DC-215 which I felt was a great value when I purchased it for [PRICE] a couple of years ago. It has a 2X optical zoom and produces excellent quality pictures.
I have used this and other digital cameras with a great deal of success, but have been dissapointed with the lens limitations compared to my SLR on which I can change lenses from 28mm wide angle to a 70 to 210mm zoom.
The E-100RS is the answer to all of my concerns about digital photography. Even without the external flash unit, which is really slick too, the camera as delivered from Olympus is complete and needs nothing to give you great digital photos.
Given that most digital photography ends up on the Internet, the 1.5 MegaPixel rating is not an issue at all. Photo quality is excellent even at 1.5.
The only thing limited is that it comes with an 8MB card, which is almost useless. Thankfully, memory card prices have dropped and a 128 MB Smart Media card can be purchased for less than [PRICE], and Compact Flash cards are even less expensive.
Oh and the camera can hold both at the same time and only requires you to make a menu selection to store your photos on one or the other. You can even copy from one card to the other! Then, using the supplied USB cable, you can access the active card from your computer just as if it was another hard drive. Excellent!
The "rapid shot" features work well. The issue of not taking shots right away is not a problem at all.
I charged the supplied 1600maH NiMH batteries right away after getting the camera. I played with it, taking lots of shots, quick time movies(it'll do those too), rapid-shot sessions, and only then, after a full week of this, did the batteries go weak. High maH batteries are a must for this camera. Extra sets of 1800 maH (even better) batteries are economical.... Keep one set in the camera and one in the charger to be safe. I did run one set of Energizer alkalines through it and they did not last very long.
This is a professional quality camera and slightly above a consumer price range. The improvements are well worth it.
Get one while your can!